Andrea Brillantes Can't Smell Because of This Rare Disease

Actress Andrea Brillantes said she has a rare disease that impars her sense of smell, even describing in graphic detail that her nose wouldn't be able to tell if someone farted.

Brillantes' confession in a vlog interview with journalist Karen Davila also piqued her fans' curiosity on the disease -- congenital anosmia.

According to the U.S. Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center, congenital anosmia is genetic, meaning those who have it are born with it. There is also no known cure.

"Wala po akong pang-amoy at all. Wala po talaga. As in pwede po akong ututan sa mukha," said Brillantes, who recently went viral for accepting the public proposal of pro basketball player Ricci Rivero to be his girlfriend.

"Doon ko actually nalaman. Kasi inututan ako ni daddy dati, silang lahat hinihintay 'yung reaction ko, tapos sabi ko, 'Ano?'" she said. "Doon ko na-realize, 'Hala, may mali ba sa akin?"

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Congenital anosmia afflicts one in 300 persons in the U.S. and symptoms usually appear at infancy for up to 23 months, the U.S. agency said.

A genetic disease means a gene or more genes are not working correctly. Genes are part of DNA, the basic material found in the body's cells.